Brighton manager Gustavo Poyet keen to pile pressure on rivals

The Seagulls have won just one of their last five games

Poyet hopes putting three points on the board may lead to slip-ups from the sides around them (Getty Images)

Gustavo Poyet wants his Brighton side to put pressure on their npower Championship play-off rivals with victory over Millwall tomorrow night.

The fixture at the Amex Stadium has been brought forward from Boxing Day due to transport issues, and pits two sides battling for a play-off place against each other.

The Seagulls have won just one of their last five games, but a win over the Lions would move them into the top six. Poyet hopes putting three points on the board may lead to slip-ups from the sides around them when they play their game in hand on Boxing Day.

He told the club website: "I don't like it when the teams have all played different games.

"I like it when everyone has played the same amount of games but we will have an extra game, and that's nice if we can take advantage of that with points on the board, but we will take it as a normal game. We need to try and get closer to the top."

Millwall's form is in stark contrast to Brighton's. They have lost just one of their last 15 league games, and occupy sixth place in the standings.

Poyet believes the fact his side are still in the play-off picture after their indifferent run shows the Championship is a "competitive, but average" league.

He told BBC Sussex: "Without winning games we are there. It shows you how average this division is. Competitive, but average.

"With the results we have had, we should be 15th or 18th. We are still there because it is average."

But the Uruguayan was warm in his praise for Kenny Jackett's visitors.

He said: "Millwall have been doing well because of the way they have been playing, their group of players and their consistency. They believe in the way they play and they are doing that for 90 minutes so they deserve credit.

"They are on a great run and from my point of view, the game they lost was the game they played the best. But that's football."

Lions captain Danny Shittu believes a solid defensive base has been key in Millwall's recent run, despite the absence of Paul Robinson through injury.

And the former QPR man believes there is no reason the London club cannot target automatic promotion.

He told the club website: "There's lots of competition in every position, even without Robbo. All compliments to the lads, we had to defend and contest.

"It feels good to be in the play-off places now and we definitely believe we can finish up there and get automatic promotion or a play-off place."

PA